Early Times Report jammu, May 18: The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) found on takers in the state, as proposal to serve cooked food to the pregnant women visiting health centres on 9th of every month for their checkup could not be take off.The new scheme was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat in June 2016, and it was launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda November 4, 2017."PMSMA is aimed to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates through safe pregnancies and safe deliveries. The national programme will provide special free antenatal care to pregnant women across the country in order to detect and prevent high risk pregnancies", sources said and added that there are two agencies, implanting the scheme in J&K."National Health Mission (NHM) medical care, while ICDS has responsibility to provide nutrition to the pregnant women

Special care!National Health Mission (NHM) medical care, while ICDS has responsibility to provide nutrition to the pregnant women as part of special free antenatal care.

as part of special free antenatal care", they added.Sources said that the so far, Integrated Child Development Services seems reluctant to serve cooked food to pregnant women on 9th of every month, when they visit designated health centre for their check-up.Mission Director National Health Mission, J&K, according to sources wrote a letter to ICDS requesting to provide the cooked food to the women at health centre."So far, the ICDS has shown no seriousness in this regard, however, the ICDS provide dry food to the pregnant women", sources said and added that other options be explored to provide cooked food, if ICDS is unable to do the Job. "Funds be available at the disposal of incharge of health institution concerned where pregnant women visit for antennal checkup or ASHA worker who is accompanying the women be given diet money", they added.Talat Parvez, State Mission Director, ICDS, J&K could not be contacted for comment.